Should I get a master's degree?

August 22, 2010 7:26 PM

Should I get a master's degree in mechanical engineering? What jobs could I be "overqualified" for?

I'm in my last year of undergrad and I'm scheduled to take the GRE in a month. I've started filling out applications to a couple of programs. Maybe it's silly, but I'm a little worried. I know that there are some jobs out there that I could potentially be overqualified for with a master's degree, I just don't know which ones. Has anybody had an experience where they wanted a specific job after getting an MS in engineering, but couldn't get it due to overqualification? Could getting an MS or MSE hinder my ability to enter job markets other than engineering? Part of the reason I'm considering a master's degree is higher salary, but mostly I just want to gain more knowledge - add more tools to the tool box, so to speak.

posted by nel to Work & Money (10 answers total)

Best answer: This varies from industry to industry, but in my area (defense contracting), a MS in engineering is essentially equivalent to 2 years experience in the field. Firms in my field like to hire MS graduates because their salary requirements aren't much higher than pure entry-level jobs, but it looks a lot better if they can say "X% of our employees have a Master's degree or Ph.D".

I can't speak to jobs outside the engineering field - if you are more specific about which fields you're interested in (consulting? analysis? policy?), we can be more helpful.
posted by muddgirl at 7:35 PM on August 22, 2010

Honestly, you're over thinking this. Do you know what you want to do? If you like school and studying, go for it. If you want to work, do that. This is a great time in your life. Getting a masters will likely get you a higher starting salary somewhere and 10 years from now, you say, yep, I've got a masters and I wrote a thesis on this thing that has absolutely no bearing on my job.

I have a BSME. It's been my experience that the ME degree is a nice way to demonstrate to your future employer(s) that you're smart, you can learn complex things, and you can stick it out through hard work. That'll get you where ever you want to go. That and being proactive at work.

So get the masters. Find a great advisor. Do something that excites you. Write an awesome thesis. Worry about the job later.
posted by Red58 at 7:37 PM on August 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

You're really not going to overqualified for anything that your bachelor's wouldn't have overqualified you for in the first place (a Starbucks manager might shy away from hiring an engineering grad who won't need long to find better employment). A master's in engineering == 5th year undergrad, possibly (but increasingly rarely today) with a thesis. It means you get an automatic starting salary bump, and come in one step above flat-out entry level. It's not a big deal, and I've never found a job saying that I would be overqualified with my master's in aerospace engineering. I've found plenty of listings saying "master's is a plus" though.
posted by mnemonic at 8:25 PM on August 22, 2010

I have a lot of engineer friends who work in high frequency and algo trading if that's a path you're interested in. Most of them were hired right out of undergrad, but several have masters. It doesn't make them overqualified, and it also doesn't necessarily make them any better qualified than those with just a BS. At least that's how it is in finance.
posted by phunniemee at 8:40 PM on August 22, 2010

Personally, I've never known anyone employed as an engineer who DIDN'T have at least a Masters degree, so I wouldn't worry about being overqualified for engineering jobs.
posted by Jacqueline at 9:26 PM on August 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

What you will tend to price yourself out of are pure designer jobs (CAD-jockey type stuff). I've rarely known a CAD-jockey who has an MS, but I've seen a number with BS degrees.

But for all other types of engineering positions, I am with those above---MS a plus.
posted by chiefthe at 6:08 AM on August 23, 2010

I have an m.s. in chemical engineering, and it certainly didn't hurt to have the advanced degree. I even got hired during the recession - the HR girls told me later that an advanced degree certainly tips things in favor of getting your resume in the "first pick" pile for selecting interviewees.

But to tell the truth, I chose the m.s. because it offered me the unique opportunity to move to Japan for a year of research, but I wouldn't have done it just to be more employable. I'm basically getting started late in my career in this industry. I make only a few thousand dollars more a year because of it, but I make far less than someone who has 2 more years' experience than me.

I'm not using any of the science I learned in my m.s. whatsoever, so don't think it will replace industrial work experience for gaining practical skills. I'm no more qualified to do my job than someone with a B.Eng and the same amount of work experience otherwise, in terms of actual knowledge and expertise. I'm a bit better at the business side of things though, like being resourceful when tracking down information, writing reports, give presentations, and networking - they have me doing a lot more than just the regular engineering work. And the slight prestige means I'll likely be able to advance a little more quickly within my company, and branch out into other areas. That's my benefit over my colleague who was hired with a B.Eng.
posted by lizbunny at 7:35 AM on August 23, 2010

As an engineer you'll have a good chance of getting a research position which comes with a pay check, health insurance, probably tuition assistance, if not an out right full ride. What it comes down to is someone is basically offering to give you a Master's degree in exchange for 2-3 years of your life.

DO IT. ARE YOU CRAZY?

This depends on your undergrad performance, if you're adverse to public schools, and the amount of debt you have. A MS is not going to over qualify you for many jobs; a phd is a different story.

Hint: if the programs you apply to don't offer you money, they don't want you to come. If no one offers you money, get a job.
posted by fontophilic at 8:28 AM on August 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

If you enjoy being in school and are interested in a deeper level of education in more specific subjects, you should absolutely go for a master's.

In general, you're overthinking this; it's pretty hard to over-qualify for the vast majority of engineering jobs. The exceptions would probably be jobs like HVAC and drafting/design positions that rely less on technical expertise and more on experience and intuition. If you have any desire to do those, then a master's might not be the best idea but it really wouldn't hurt all that much either. If you want to pursue a career in research or a more specialized technical area, you pretty much ought to go for it.
posted by malthas at 9:04 AM on August 23, 2010

Also, who is paying for this? Many employers will pay for your master's degree, which beats the pants off of another chunk of student loans.
posted by kenbennedy at 9:21 AM on August 23, 2010